Crude oil and residuals



Q 192 o www@ @ct 25 A. E. MILLER PROCES FOR HANDLING CRUDE-OIL A'ND RESIDUALS Filed May 9. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet v1 oct., 25, 19273 M4636@ A. E. MILLER v PROCESS FOR HANDLING CRUDE OIL AND RESIDUALS Filed May 9.. 1921- 4 sheets-sheet, 2

2 192 Oct 5 7 A. E. MILLER PRocEss FOR HANDLING cRUDE OIL AND RNsDUALs Filed May 9, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 3,

OCU 25 192% A. E. MILLER PROCESS FOR HANDLING CRUDE OIL AND RESIDUALS Filed May 9. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 LLLI E [Sion rasees eci. as, rear..

' A CR'EORATIGIT OF MAINE.

PROCESS FOR HANDLNG CEUUDE OL .AND RESE'UAJS.

Application filed May 9,

My invention relates more particularly to the handling ot heavy crude oil containing considerable amounts ot asphalt-ic hydrocarbon ot which the petroleum obtained i'rem the Mexican tield and known as Mexican crude oil is typical, as well as heavy crude residuums, iiux, asphaltum oils, etc. lt has for its purpose to lseparate the asphaltic and non-volatile heavy end in the crude oil from the volatile components thereof, leaving the latter as little changed as possible and in the mest favorable condition tor further treatment by distillation, retining, etc. By my improved process the crude oil is heated to such a temperature and under such conditions that all or substantially all ot Athe more volatile components are driven oii trom the asphaltic and-substantially non-volatile residue without substantial cracking, the vapors given oli being condensed into a distillate which is quite similar to the original crude oil though dili'ering therefrom in that the asphalt and non-volatile end have been removed. In carrying out the process of the present invention t-he effective boiling point of the higher boiling constitutents ot apparatus for practicing the process ot the crude oil is lowered by the presence ot a large percentage of steam or other suitable vapor or gas in the atmosphere of the still and the time during which the oil is subjected to the high temperature is limited so that no substantial cracking occurs.

ln the accoml'ianying drawings l havev illustrated a perterred'iiorm ot apparatus, and described the same and a preferred n'ethod of practicing the invention in the following specilication, but it is to be understood, that the specilic disclosure is 'lor the purpose of exemplitication only, and that the :torni and arrangement of apparatus may be variedand the process practiced in other apparatus without'departing from my invention, the scope of which is defined in the following claims in which I have endeavored to distinguish it from the prior art so tar as known to me without however relinquishing or abandoning` any portion or feature thereof.

n the drawings Fig. lis a diagrammatic plan of the preferred form of apparatus for practicing my invention; Fig. 2 a partially diagrammatic side elevation ot a portion oi 192i. Serial No. 467,291.

said apparatus including a still, shown in vertical sect-ion; Figs. 3 and Il a horizontal and a transverse vertical sectional view, respectively, et said still; Figs. 5 and 6 views ot a detail in vertical cross section and longitudinal section showing a type ot slotted spider arms; Fig. 7 a vertical section through a portion ol the apparatus for breaking emulsions, parts being shown in elevation; Fig. 7l an elevation partlv in vertical section ot the same on a planeperpendicular to that of Fig. 7; and Figs. 8 and Q horizontal sections of the same on the lines 8-8 and 9 9, respectively.

Each part is identitied by the same reierence character wherever it occurs in the several views.

Rel'erring now to the diagrammatic view shown in l, in the preferred torm ot .the invention there illustrated the crude oil is heated, mixed with superheated steam and sprayed into the still 'from which the vapors are led to condensing and separating apparatus, the residue being drawn oitifrom time to time from the still.

ln the .drawings a feed tank 1 for the crude oil is shown as provided with a steam coil 2 by which the crude oil is maintained at a proper temperature, say, 170 degrees F. From this tank the material is pumped eitherdirectly to heater S or through an intermediate heater l. ln the diagram Fig'. l, l have shown the direct connection thrdugh the pipes 5 and (i. The indirect connection between the feed tank and the crude preheater through the heater 4- is bv means ol thepipes 7 and 8. rlhe heater l will be described at alater point in the specification where the course oif the vapors from the still, which constitute the heating medium for said heater, is described.

rThe preheater 3 may be of any'known or desirable character or form which will provide the heat necessary to raise the temperature of the oil to about 600 degrees F. I have shown it diagrammatically as a pipe coil for the oil passing through a heating chamber. rlhe oil in the preheater is maiutained under a pressure ot about liitv pounds per square inch by means ot a loaded valve 9 or the like. Beyond the valve 9 the crude oil passes to a mixing valve l0, which may be of the well-known Schutte `neously vaporized.

and Koertting type, in which the oil is mixed with superheated steam. IiiV the diagram I have shown a superheater for the steam at 11, a supply pipe therefor at 12 and exhaust pipe at 13. 'Ihe superheated steam, however, may be supplied from any other forni of superheater or if desided other neutral gases or vapors may be employed for this purpose, but they are preferably heated whatever the composition. A portion of the superheated steam, or other neutral vapor or gas, pass-es from the line 13 to the mixingvalve to which reference has been made where it is mixed with the crude oil and whence the mixture passes by pipe 14 to thc still. Preferably I use from two to three parts by volume of water as steam with one part of oil. In order to prev-ent an accidental {iow of the steam to the crude prehcater the line 15 between said preheater and the loaded valve 9 is provided with a check valve 16 and that no crude oil may b v accident reach the steam superheater the line 13 is provided with a check valve 17. A hand valve 18 is also includ-ed in line 13 to permit manual control of the steam.

Preferably the steam is superheated to aboutI 650 degrees F. and consequently 'the mixture of crude oil and steam is at a teniperature intermediate that named and G00 degrees, the temperature to which the crude oil is raised in the prelieater. The mixture is sprayed into the still 19 by means of a number of spray pipes 2O connected to a common header 21 which vin turn is connected to pipe 14 by vertical pipe 22. (See Figs. 2 and Still 19 is provided with any suitable heating means by which it may be maintained at a temperature of about G50 degrees l?. For this purpose the still may be fired externally in the usual manner. Preferably the spray pipes Q0 are slotted at 23 transversely as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 so that the mixture of oil and super-heated steam is discharged therefrom in the form of series of thin sheets which are immediately broken up into fan shaped sprays an-d the more volatile constituents are instanta- Preferably the slits are more closely spaced near the ends of the tubes 2O so as to more nearly equalize the distribution of spray throughout the drinn. The volatile components of the crude oil quickly escape from the still by connections hereinafter described leaving the asphaltic and non-volatile constituents as a residue in the bottom ofthe still which soon forms a pool therein of sufficient depth to iorin a considerable surface as seen in Figs. Q and 4. The slits of the spray pipes are on the underside thereof so that the spray is mainly discharged against the surface of this pool of non-Volatile tarry matter whereby any volatilizable matter not vaporized in the space above the liquid is volatilized due to the temperature of the residue. By dischargingl the spray against this asphaltic material rather than against the metal of the still cracking of the volatile hydrocarbons is minimized.

As heretofore stat-ed the still may he heated by external means but I prefer to aid in maintaining the temperature of the body of asphaltic material in the still by providing1 near the bottoni of the latter a series of perforated or slotted steam pipes 21 by which steam is injected into the residuum which pipes are connected to a common header 25 (see Fig. 4) and the latter by means of pipe QG to the supcrheated steam pipe 13. As the sleaiii from this pipe is superlieated to approximately the teinperature at which the still is maintained it inateiially aids in maintaining the temperatureV of the rcsidiiuin in the still and thus rendersl it easy to avoid burning or hot spots due to the externally applied heat. It also assists in concentrating the asphalt by carrying olf volatile matters contained therein and in maintaining a partial pressure of steam in the still. As' shown in Fig. 1 the pipe 26 is provided with a hand valve 27. and the pipe 13, between its junction with said pipe 2G and the mixing valve 10, also includes a hand valve 28 so that the steam fed to the steam pipes in the bottoni of the still and the mixing valve may be properly regulated and proportioned. Preferably therpipes 14 and Q6 are also provided with hand valves 29 and 30 respectively adjacent the still for convenience of control.

The level of the residues in the still is preferably maintained constant or substantially so at about the point shown in Figs. 2 and si., and for this purpose I employ draw oil pipe 31, the intake of which opens downwardly at the desired level and so much thereof as is within the still is arranged below the level of the residuuni so that it may be kept hot thereby. Outside the still the draw off 31 is provided with a trap having a cock 32 hy which samples of the contents of the pipe may he taken and beyond the trap the residue, which is a low penetration asphalt, passes to the asphalt pan 33. The trap prevents the entrance of air to the still. Preferably these pipes are heat insulated and may if desired be warmed to avoid the congealing of the liquid therein. The pan is maintained at a suitable temperature to keep the asphalt liquid by means of a burner 34. and when full may be discharged through a draw ott 35 into storage tanks, drums, or the like. The pipe 31 and the discharge 35 are provided with suitable valves 36 and 37 respectively. In the preferred operation of the still the residuiini is tapped off continuously and is run down or evaporated to a point just short of coke so that the material may be handled in liquid condition.

i ii) Returning now to the still, it has been noted that by reason of the presenceof the superheated Steam or other neutral vapor or gas and the temperature of the still all o-f the hydrocarbons which are to form the overvapor pipe 38, see Figs. l and 2. From the vapor pipe the vapors may beled in either' of'two courses as desired and according to the composition thereof. If they contain f substantial proportions of tarry matter they may be led through a tar tower 39 which consists of a coil of pipe of larger diameter, the limbs 40 of which extend in a substan tially vertical plane and the lower bends 4l of which collect the tar which may be drawn off by valved pipes 42 and 43 to the receptacles 46 and 47. These pipes may be provided with siphons 45. The distillate or vapors passing Vfrom the last limb of the `tar tower are conducted by pipes 4S to a condenser 49.

If the tar tower 39 is not utilized the vapors may pass by way of line 49 to the heat interchanger 4 to which reference has been made. Hand valves 50 and 5l are provided to determine which of the described courses the vapors from the still shall take. heat interchanger 4 may be of any approved or desired character and may serve as hereton fore stated to give an intermediate heating to the crude oil on its way to the preheater 3. The temperature of the vapors from the pipe 49 are more or less lowered in the heat interehanger and a certain amount of tarry matters deposited therein are led by pipe 52 to either of the tar receivers 46, and 47 to which reference has been made, according to the position of valves 53 and 54. The vapors from the heat interchanger are led by pipe 55 into pipe 48, heretofore mentioned and thence to the condenser 49. Valves 56 and 57 may be utilized to control the passage of vaors. p The condenser 49 is preferably of the type known as Grriscom and Russells multi-whirl condenser. The condensate therefrom passes throughpipe 58 to the bottom of a receiver 59 which is heated by steam coil'() in the bottom thereof. This receiver is maintained more than two-thirds full of water which is maintained at a temperature of about 180 degrees F. The oil rises through this water to the top thereof. A small portion of the more volatile constituents of the oil in the receiver volatilizes and passes off by way of pipe 61 to a small Water cooled condenser 62 the condensate from which passes by pipe 7 2 to receiver 7 3. The fixed gases pass to the naphtha absorption towers 7 4 and the unab` sorbed gases to the tank 7 5. The vbulk of the The distillate in receiver 60 is forced by pumps 63 through lines 64 and 65 to an emulsion breaker 66.

The emulsion breaker consists of a cylindrical tower which may be about twenty feet high and four feet in diameter, see 7, 7a, 8, and 9,-containing steam heating coils G7 and is filled to a depth of vabout fifteen feet with 'water maintained at a temperature of about 170 degrees F. The overhead or condensate fromy the receiver 59 is more or vless emulsified with water from the condensed steam and entering the emulsion breaker at the bottom through a perforated spider (S8 passes up through the hot water and floats on top. By this operation ninety to ninety-five per cent of the emulsion is broken up. The clear oil overfiows through a pipe 69 into a distillate tank 70. The very light end of the oil volatilized by the heat in the emulsion breaker passes through line 71 and pipe 6l to the condenser 62 to which reference has been made.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that the processie a continuous one.

rfhe crude oil being instantaneously vaporized within the still and depositing the nonvolatile ends therein, the vapors quickly leaving the still before being subjected to the heat thereof for a sufficient length of time to crack them Linder the particular conditions obtaining in the still due to the presence of the steam or neutral vapor or gas. Sixtyfive to seventy per cent of the material is realized as overhead or distillate and the remaining fraction is drawn off as tar inst before it becomes too viscous to flow. The vapors are cleaned of any tarry matters and of tar or heavy ends in the vapor state and effectively condensed, the emulsification thereof broken up and the contained water separated out.

By the improved process and apparatus described, heavy asphaltic petroleum such as Mexican crude oil is deprived of its heavy, non-volatile components and the volatile hydrocarbons contained therein are effectively and cheaply prepared for further treatment without undergoing cracking to any sul stantial extent.

l claim:

l. A process of treating asphaltic petroleum oils and residues for separating constituents volatile below their cracking temperature from asphaltie residues non-volatile without substantial cracking of the separated volatile constituents which comprises. maintaining within a still a liquid body of asphaltic residues, preheating the oil to be treated under pressure, and preheating a neutral gas to a temperature in excess of 650 degrees F., reducing the pressure on the oil and then mixing it with the preheated neutral gas, spraying the mixture into the vapor space of the still and introducing a heated lli) neutral gas into the still through the body of asphaltie residues,maintaining the temperature in the still at about G50 degrees F.. withdrawing the Constituents volatilized under the conditions prevailingl in the still as a vapor and withdrawing the asphaltie resi dues as a liquid substantially tree -from said. Volatile constituents 'from the body thereof in the still.

2. A process of treating,- asphaltie petroleum oils and residues for separating eonstituents volatile below their cracking teinperature from asphaltie residues non-Vo'a'tile without substantial cracking of the separated .volatile Constituents which eomprises, maur taining within a still a liquid body o't esphaltie residues, preheating the oil to be treated under pressure, and preheating a neutral gas to a ten'iperature in eXeess ot d50 degrees F., mixing' the preheated oil with a larger volume ot the in'eheated neutral gas, reducing the pressure on the oil and then mixing it with the preheated neutral ons spraying' the mixture into the vapor .space olf the still and introducing a heated neutral gas into the still. through thel body ot asphaltic residues, maintaining th-e temperature in the still at about 650 degrees F., withdrawing the constituents Volatilized under the conditions prevailingl in the still as a Vapor and withdrawing` 'the asphaltie resi dues as a liquid substantially free from said volatile constituents from the body thereof in the still. y

3. A process of treating asphaltie petroleum oils and residues for separating eonstituents Volatile below their cracking tein-A perature from asphaltie residues non-Volatile without substantial cracking of the separated A volatileeonstituents which comprises, maintaining within a still a liquid body of asphaltie residues, separately preheatingjV the oil to be treated and a neutral gas` mixingl the preheated oil and gas and spraying` tl e mixture into the vapor space in the still and against the body ot asphaltie residuesthereinl` introducing' a preheated neutral gas into the still through the body of asphaltie residues` maintainingV the temperature in the still at about 650 degrees F., withdrawing the constituents volatilized under the Conditions prevailing in the still as a vapor, withdraw ing the asphaltie residues as a liquid substantially free from said volatile constituents from the body thereof in the still.

ALBERT E. MILLER. 

